Circuit interrupter



April 7, 1931. W. E; MCCOY 1,799,995

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Original Filed April 14, 1920 3 sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: INVENTOR W M a/ferE Mc Coy April 7, 1931. w. E. MC

CIRCUIT [NTERRUPTE R Original Filed April 14, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W Fly? INVENTOR 14 2 /16! If IIYCC'OJ IMJWITNESSES:

ATTORN EY April 7, 1931. w. E. MCCOY 1,799,985

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Original Filed April 14, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR AT'TORNEY WITNESSES:

Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E. MCCOY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC &:

MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA CIRCUIT INTERRUPTEB Application filed April '14, 1920, Serial No. 373,909. Renewed February 20, 1930.

My invention relates to switches and particularly to operating means for switches known as change-over switches.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that shall be simple and durable in construction,

economical to manufacture and effective in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a change-over switch for use in circuits where the operation of the switch is required only at certain infrequent intervals, mechanically-stored-energy Or wound-spring operating means in lieu of the electrical or other more expensive operating means.

Heretofore, it has been usual, in certain automatically-actuated switches, to provide various electrical devices, such as electromagnets, torque motors and other means, for supplying the energy required to move or shift the movable contact members. Certain. of these devices are effective in operation, but, wheresuch operation is required only at comparatively. infrequent intervals, are unnecessarily expensive.

In practicing my invention, I provide a chan e-over switch, for shifting a service circuit ram one to another of selective supply circuits, comprising a wound-spring mechanism that is electromagnetically held and released. The device being adapted for service in which it will'only be required to operate a comparatively few times, is constructed and arranged to store suflicient energy for operating the, switch contact members for a relatively lon period of time.

Figure 1 o the accompanying drawings is adiagrammatic view of an electrical system in which a change-over switch embodying my invention may be employed; Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, 0 a switch constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view ;of the device shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, and Fi 5 isa d2etail view taken along the line V\ of Referring particularly to Fig. 1, an electrical system in which in improved form of switch may be employ while not so limited, is shown as comprising similar threephase alternating-current supply circuits 1 and 2 connected to stationary contact members 3 and 4, respectively, for co-operation with movable contact members 5. The members 5 are secured to a rocking member 7 having a lever 8, at one endthereof, which is connected, by a pin-and-slot connection 9, to one arm 10 of a bell-crank lever 11 that includes an intermediate pivot pin 12 and an outer or main lever arm 13. The lever arm 13 is connected to a drum-switch mechanism 14, to be hereinafter more fully described, which is biased in a clockwise direction, and is held against rotation by an electromagnetically-operated mechanism 15 having a coil 16 that is connected, through a movable contact member 17 on the switch mechanism 14 and a conductor 18, to a relay 19 and, from the relay 19, through a fuse 20, to a secondary coil 21 of a transformer 22 in the supply circuit 2. A coil 23, of the relay 19, is connected, through a switch 24, to the contact member 17 and, through a switch 25 and a fuse 26, to a secondary coil 27 of a transformer 28 in the supply circuit 1.

"Referring particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, the rocking member 7, pivotally mounted in a tank or casing 29 and suspended from the ends of a frame or base member 30, comprises a substantially rectangular block of insulating material, such as wood, on which the movable contact members 5 are mounted.

The stationary contact members 3 and 4 are mounted on a similar insulating structure 7a secured to the base member 30. Chambers 31 and 32, beneath the base 30, enclose the relay 19 and the electromagnetic device 15, respectively. The devices 19* and 30. A shaft 38, bearing loosely in the bearing portions 34 and 36, has a ratchet member 39 rigidly secured to one end thereof by a pin 40. The ratchet 39 co-operates with a pawl 41 mounted on the standard 37 by a pin 42. The pawl 41 is biased against the ratchet 39 by a spring 43 secured to the standard 37 by a pin 44. A plurality of helical springs 45 are secured, by screws 46, at their inner ends, to the shaft 38 and, at their outer ends, to a rod or pin 47, extending longitudinally in the casing 33 between one end thereof and the cap member 35 and tend to rotate the easing 33 in a clockwise direction. An integral raised flange or collar portion 48 surrounding the casing 33 substantially constitutes a vcam having portions 49 eccentrically curved about the axis of the shaft 38 which meet to form latch portions 50 for engagement with a ball or latching member 51 of the electromagnetic device 15. Pins or studs 52, secured to the casing 33 at the portions 50, constitute renewable wearing members for these portions.

The electromagnetic device 15, in the compartment 32, comprises the coil 16 that is secured to the base member 30 by bolts 54 and that surrounds a non-magnetic sleeve member 55 that is secured, at its upper end, to the base member 30. A cap member 56 at the lower end of the sleeve '55, is provide to support a core member 57 in the sleeve. A projecting portion 58 of the base member 30, into which the sleeve 55 extends, contains a plunger 59 having a shank portion 60 that extends into the sleeve anda headed portion 61 at its upper end. The portion 61 loosely fits a recess 63 in the projection 58 and is normally disposed opposite the ball 51, which is disposed in an opening 64 in the projec. tion 58, to hold the ball in holding relation with one of the pins 52. A portion 62 of the plunger 59 is of smaller diameter than the portion 61 to permit the ball'51 to withdraw from its holding position. The lower,

end of the shank 59 is surrounded by a helical spring 65 held adjustably in position by a nut 66 that normally biases the plunger 59 toward its lower-or holding position.

The bearing portion 34 of the casing 33 is provided, at the front face of the switch, with a disk portion 67 having angularly disposed openings 68 therein for the reception of one end of a spring-actuated plunger 69 disposed in an operating handle member 70. A central sleeve or supporting member 71 of the handle member extends through a slot 72 in the arm 13 of the lever 11 and is threaded, at its inner end, to a crank member 73 loosely mounted on the shaft 38. The slot 72 is of suflicient length so that, as the disk portion67, rotates, the operating handle 70 will move back and forth in the slot to translate the rotative movement of the drum mechanism 14 to rocking motion for the lever 11 and, consequently, for the rocking member 7. An intermediate portion 74 of the slot 72 is enlarged to admit a winding handle or key 75 therethrough when the switch is in its intermediate or neutral position to engage a member 76 rigidly secured to the front end of the shaft 38. The contact member 17 is mounted on an insulating member 7 7.that is secured to the bearing portion 36 of the sleeve 33 and co-operates with stationary contact members 78 secured to an insulating member 79 on the base members 30.

Assuming the apparatus and circuits to be positioned and related as shown in Fig. l with the drum switch 14 in its off or neutral position and no current flowing from either of the supply circuits 1 and 2 to the service circuit 6, when it is desired to connect the service circuit 6 to the supply circuit 1, the handle member 70 is pulled outwardly in the direction of its longitudinal axis to remove the plunger 69 from the uppermost opening 68 in the disk portion 67 and'turned about the shaft 12 to place an indicator 80, on the lever 11, in the dotted line position marked circuit No. 1. During this turning movement, the lever 10 moves the lever 8 to rock the member 7 in a counterclockwise direction which engages the contact members 5 with the contact member 3, thus establishing circuit connections between the supply circuit 1 and the service circuit 6. With the connections and circuits thus established and when the switches 24 and 25 are open and the fuse 2O disconnected, the drum switch 14 will function as an ordinary switch having no automatic features and requiring manual operation of thehandle 70 to disconnect the circuits 1 and 6.

Continuing from the above establishedw non-automatic arrangement, if it is desired to render the system only partially automatic, that is to say, if, upon failure of the supply circuit 1, it is desired to have the service circuit 6 automatically thrown over to the supply circuit 2 and to, thereafter, have no further automatic operation, the plunger 69,

fails, the relay 19 will be actuated to supply energ from the secondary winding of the trans ormer 22, through the contact member 17 on the drum switch 14 to the coil 16 of the magnet 15. When the coil 16 is energized, the core member 57 will be actuated to strike the plunger 59 that is thereby raised to release the ball 51 from holding engagement with the flange 48. This releases the drum casing 53 which, impelled by the springs 45, transmits its motion through the plunger 69, the lever 11 and the lever 8 to the rocker member 7 ,to throw 'the contact members out of engagement with the contact members 3 and into engagement with the contact members 4. During this movement of the drum casing 33, the contact member 17 is moved to interrupt the circuit of the magnet which permits the plunger 59 to drop and the ball 51 to assume a position to stop the drum casing by engagement with one of the latch portions after it has been turned through one half of a revolution.

Should it be desired to render the system wholly automatic, that is to say, should it be desired to have the system arranged so that, after connecting the service circuit 6 to the supply circuit 1, the circuit 6 will be automatically connected to the supply circuit 2, as above described, and, upon re-energization of the supply circuit 1, the service circuit 6 will be automatically returned to the circuit 1, the switch 24 will be moved to its closed osition. The contact member 17, having een previously moved 180, upon closing the switch 24, a circuit will be established from the coil 16 of the magnet 15, through the contact member 17, the switch 24, the switch 25, the fuse 26, to the secondary coil 27 of the transformer 28. Thus, upon the re-energization of the circuit 1, the drum casing will be released for another half revolution to throw the contact members back to enga ement with the contact members 3. Wit the last described arrangement, the service circuit 6 will be thrown over to the supply circuit 2 as often as the supply circuit 1 fails and be returned thereto as often as the latter is re-energized.

The two horizontally-opposite openings 68 in the flange portion 67 of the drum switch 14 are provided in order that the handle member 7 0 may be moved to start the above described automatic cycle of operation from either closed position of the switch and the two vertically-opposite openings 68 are provided to permit the lever 11 to be manually moved from either of the closed positions of the switch to 'the neutral position and there locked by engagement of the plunger 69 with the flange portion 67 in one of the last said openings 68.

While I haveshown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical switch comprising manually wound energy-storing meansfor automatically opening and closing the same in response to a change in current conditions of the circuit associated with the switch.

2. A switch comprising a multi-position bridging member and manually wound energy-storing means for automatically moving said member from each position to another in response to a change in current conditions of the circuit controlled by the switch.

3. A switch comprising relatively movable contact members and mechanical energystoring means controlled by current conditions of the circuit controlled by the switch for effecting automatic operation of said members through a plurality of cycles upon a single energization of the storing means.

4. In a switch, the combination with manually operated mechanical eriergy-storing means for effecting a plurality of operations of the switch for one energization, and means responsive to power failure in an associated circuit for controlling said mechanism in any of its positions.

5. A switch comprising relatively movable contact members, mechanical energystoring means for effecting a plurality of operations of said members for one storing of energy, and electrically-actuated releasing means for said energy-storing means res onsive to change in current conditions 0 the circuit controlled by the switch.

. 6. A switch comprising means for exerting a constant force to open the switch when it is closed and to close the switch when it is open, means for restraining said force and means responsive to current conditions of the circuit controlled by the switch for releasing the restraining means.

7. In a change-over switch, the combination with two stationary contact members and a movable contact member therefor, of a wound-spring mechanism for moving the movable contact member from one of said stationary contact members to the other and vice versa a plurality of times for one ener gization of the mechanism, and means responsive to electrical conditions in the circuit closed by the switch for controlling the movement of the said wound-spring mechanism.

8. In a change-over switch, the combina- Q tion with two stationary contactmembers and a movable contact member therefor, of a wound-spring mechanism for moving the movable contact member from each of said stationary contact members to the other a plurality of times for one energization of the mechanism, and means'responsive to electrical conditions of the closed circuit for controlling the movement of the wound-spring mechanism to procure a single operation of the movable contact member.

9. In a change-over switch, the combination with two stationary contact members and a movable contact member therefor, of a wound-spring mechanism for automatically moving the movable contact member from either of the stationary contact members to the other in response to a change in current conditions in a circuit associated with the switch, and means for winding the mechanism after a plurality of operations of the switch.

10. In a change-over switch, the combination with two stationary contact members and a movable contact member therefor, of a wound-spring mechanism for automatically moving the movable contact member from either of the stationary contact members to the other in response to predetermined conditions in the closed circuit, and means for winding the mechanism after a plurality of operations of the switch.

11. In a change-over switch, the combination with a contact-carrying rocking member, of a wound-spring mechanism for transmitting rotative movement in one direction, and connecting means between the rocking member and said mechanism for translating the rotative movement of the latter to a movement of the rocking member in each direction.

12. In a change-over switch, the combination with a contact-carrying rocking member, of a wound-spring mechanism for transmitting rotative movement in one direction, and a pivoted lever operatively connected to the rocking member and to said mechanism for translating the rotative movement ofthe latter to a movement of the rocking member in each direction. I

13. In a change-over switch, the combination with a contact-carrying rocking member,

of a wound-spring mechanism for transmitting rotative movement in one direction, and a pivoted lever operatively connected by lostmotion relation to both the rocking member and to said mechanism for permitting selec- 'tive initial relative positions thereof for translating the rotative movement of the latter to oscillatory movement for the rocking member.

14. In a change-over switch, the combination with a contact-carrying rocking member, of a wound-spring mechanism for transmitting rotative movement in one direction, connecting means between the rocking member and said mechanism for translating the rotative movement of the latter to rocking movement for the rocking member, and means for shifting said connecting means with respect to said mechanism in order to start the translation of saidmovement from selective position in the path of movement of said mechanism. v

15. In a change-over switch, the combination with a contact-carrying rocking member, of a wound-spring mechanism for transmitting rotative movement 1n one directlon,

a slotted pivoted lever for translating the rotative movement of the latter to rocking movement for the rocking member, and an operating member extending through the slot in the pivoted lever for connecting the latter to said mechanism, said slot being adapted to receive therethrough a windingkey member for saidmechanism.

16. A change-over switch comprising sta; tionary and movable contact members, a rocking supporting member for said movable contact member, a prime-mover shaft, a pawland-ratchet device permitting the rotation of said shaft in one direction, a hollow springdrum member loosely mounted on said shaft, a spring disposed in the drum and operative ly connected between said shaft and said drum to rotate the latter, electro-responsive means for holding and releasing the drum, a contact member movable with the drum to change the circuit of said electro-responsive means, a bell-crank lever for operativel connecting the drum to the rocking member, a handle member between the bell-crank lever and the drum for operating the switch, and means for connecting the handle member at one of a plurality of positions between the drum and the bell-crank lever.

17. In combination, a' wound-spring mechanism, a change-over switch'operable thereby to each of its positions, and means for controlling the operation of said mechanism in response to electrical conditions in an associated electrical circuit.

18. In a change-over switch, the combination with a movable contact member that completes a circuit in either of two positions, of a spring mechanism for operating said contact member, means for storing energy in said spring mechanism, means for releasing said mechanism in response to a change in a. circuit condition and means efi'ective thereafter for stopping the release of energy from said spring mechanism when said movable contact member has reached its second position.

19. In a changeover switch, the combination with a movable contact member that completes a circuit in either of two positions, means for storing energy comprising a spring mechanism, means for opposing the. move- 1 for releasing said energy storing means to move said contact member.

21. In an electric switch, a contact member, energy storing means for moving said contact member, means for releasing a part of the stored energy to move said contact member from one position to a second position, and means for releasing an additional part of the stored energy to return said contact member to its first position, said releasing means each being responsive to a change in a circuit condition.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of A ril, 1920.

WALTER E. GCOY. 

